Xiang Qu

Associate
Xiang advises US and international clients on tax, trust and estate planning and administration matters.
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Xiang focuses his practice on designing and implementing standard and sophisticated lifetime gifting and estate freeze strategies for US and non-US clients to accommodate tax and legal considerations.  As an estate planner, Xiang is experienced in drafting a variety of documents, including wills, revocable trusts, insurance trusts, GRATs, SLATs, gift/sale to intentionally defective grantor trusts, directed trusts, and asset protection trusts.  Xiang is particularly interested in modifying existing trusts through decanting and toggling between grantor and non-grantor trust status.   

In the international font, Xiang’s practice involves drafting and restructuring of foreign grantor trusts, US taxation of foreign trusts with US beneficiaries, relinquishment of US citizenship and green card, and investment into the US real property by foreign persons.

Previous Work

Prior to joining ArentFox Schiff, Xiang was an associate in the private client and tax group in the Connecticut office of a global law firm.

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Publications

  • “A Q&A Guide to the Laws of Probate in Connecticut,” Co-Author, Westlaw Practical Law Guide (2021)

Presentations

  • “Estate Planning and Probate Administration,” (Co-Presenter), Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (Jan. 2024)
  • “Fiduciary Income Taxation of Trusts,” (Co-Presenter), Witherswordwide CLE event (Feb. 2024)

Recognitions

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America (2025)

Boards, Memberships & Certifications

  • New York City Bar Estate & Gift Taxation Committee, Member
  • New York City Bar Trusts, Estates and Surrogate’s Court Committee, Affiliate Member
  • STEP, Affiliate Member

Life Beyond the Law

Outside of work, Xiang enjoying hiking and traveling.  So far, he has travelled to more than 20 countries in the world.

Xiang is also passionate about charitable cause.  While working in China, he attended the first US-China philanthropy forum in Hawaii.  While attending law school in the U.S., he interned at the Charity Bureau of New York State Attorney General’s Office.

  • Languages
    Mandarin Chinese
  • Bar & Court Admissions
    • New Jersey Bar
    • New York Bar
    • Connecticut Bar
  • Education
    New York University School of Law, LL.M., Taxation, 2020
    Boston College Law School, JD, 2019
    Beijing Foreign Studies University, Master's Degree, 2011
    Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, BA, 2009

Perspectives